Pontarlier

Pontarlier
Pontarlier
Location within Franche-Comté region  Pontarlier
Administration
Country	France
Region	Franche-Comté
Department	Doubs
Arrondissement	Pontarlier
Canton	Pontarlier
Intercommunality	Larmont
Mayor	Patrick Genre (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	811–1,323 m (2,661–4,341 ft) (avg. 837 m or 2,746 ft)
Land area1	41.35 km2 (15.97 sq mi)
Population2	18,639  (2008)
- Density	451 /km2 (1,170 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	25462/ 25300
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Triomphal arch of the Porte Saint-Pierre

Pontarlier (French: [pɔ̃.taʁ.lje] ; Latin: Ariolica) is a commune and one of the two sub-prefectures of the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.

History

Pontarlier occupies the ancient Roman station of Ariolica, in Gallia and is placed in the Tables on the road from Urba (modern Orbe, Canton Vaud, Switzerland), to Vesontio (modern Besançon). Although the distances in the Antonine Itinerary do not agree with the real distances, French geographer D'Anville recognized a transposition of the numbers. The Theodosian Tabula names the place "Abrolica", which William Smith states as a possible error of transcription.

The city of Pontarlier is briefly mentioned in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It was to this city that convict Jean Valjean was to report for his parole after being released from the galleys. Breaking these instructions is a major turning point in the novel, and also creates some major conflict for Valjean later in the story.

Pontarlier was famous for the production of absinthe until its ban in 1915. The distilleries switched over to producing pastis. With the ban partially lifted in the 1990s, distilleries are once again producing absinthe in Pontarlier.

Population

Historical population of Pontarlier

Year	1793	1800	1806	1821	1831	1836	1841	1846	1851	1856
Population	3348	3771	3526	4254	4707	4922	4965	5136	4953	4909

Year	1861	1866	1872	1876	1881	1886	1891	1896	1901	1906
Population	5007	4945	4975	5714	6118	8098	7187	7577	7963	8776

Year	1911	1921	1926	1931	1936	1946	1954	1962	1968	1975
Population	9439	10,203	11,827	11,984	12,840	12,722	13,768	15,382	16,442	17,983

Year	1982	1990	1999	2008
Population	17,781	18,104	18,360	18,639

Personalities

• Edgar Faure, member of the Académie française, president of the city council, and mayor
• Philippe Grenier, physician and politician
• Xavier Marmier, writer and poet
• Robert Fernier, painter
• Pierre Bichet, painter
• Vincent Defrasne, biathlete
• Florence Baverel-Robert, biathlete

Sights

• Triumphal arch of the Porte Saint-Pierre (18th century) ;
• Gate of the ancient church of the Annonciades (18th century) ;
• Stained glass created in 1976 by painter Alfred Manessier for Saint-Bénigne Church;
• Municipal museum, place d'Arçon ;
• Espera museum of Franco Sbarro : car design, prototypes, engines.

International relations

Pontarlier is twinned with:

• Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany)
• Zarautz (Spain)
• Yverdon-les-Bains (Switzerland)

See also

• Communes of the Doubs department

References

• INSEE

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–57). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray. 

External links

• City council website (French)
• Aeroclub of Pontarlier WebSite (French)